Monthly Archives: October 2009

It seems there’s a lot happening around the place at the moment. New hobbies, new nappies, new growth in the garden (and that includes the weeds!) and new yarn swaps.

My Naki knitting girls and I decided to share in a ‘Kiwiana’ yarn swap. Here’s the parcel I prepared for Angela. I named it ‘Wave Waltz’ after the scrummy hand dyed roving I bought, which I used to spin the thick & thin single.

And here’s what I received from the talented Kristy……………(this is SO cool)……………….

Kristy chose a pukeko theme and hand dyed the 4ply yarn to match the colours of the pukeko. She also included a block of fair trade chocolate, a really cute book for the girls, a wee pukeko notebook, and an awesome sock pattern to match. WOW!! How lucky am I? She even presented it all in a pukeko blue box, with pukeko red ribbon and a little pukeko card. Thankyou Kristy, I really love it :-). I’m being very diligent and am finishing off the current pair of socks before I start the new pair (It’s taking some serious restraint though!).

Check out our resident Naki photographers (Sheryl, Hannah, and Sam’s )sites for more detailed piccies of the evening.

We have a new visitor at our house. He’s made himself quite at home. He visits every afternoon just after lunch, in time to finish off the bits and bobs that the kids discard. Here we have ‘baby hedgehog’. Isn’t he squishy?!!! We are calling him ‘Mr Hedgehog’ as the original Mr Hedgehog decided to depart this world last week :-(. Our new Mr Hedgehog is very tame, he is quite happy for us to sit next to him while he eats. You should see his little teeth and tongue. So cute!

I’ve been busy making custom orders this week, so there won’t be an update this Monday. But, here’s a wee peek at one of the OOAK nappies I’ve just finished for a customer. This will be winging its way overseas for an international nappy swap.

Don’t forget to enter this weeks ‘Freebie Monday draw. I’ll be back on Monday with the winner and piccies of next weeks prize. See you then!

Mandli :-). Congratulations! Email me at Bib and Tucker with your details and your choice of nappy, and I’ll send it off with the courier tomorrow. I hope you love it!

This week, I’ve made a wee crafty item that I haven’t created in quite some time. A little ‘Glass Slide’ Tag to hang in your workspace, or use it as a tag on a gift, or even a bookmark. I’m also including some supplies to make your own, and if you happen to have a soldiering iron you can attach a ring to the top to make it into a necklace. Cool huh!

So here’s what’s up for grabs this week:

Handmade ‘Inspiration’ Glass Slide Tag

2 x Glass Slides to make 1/2 items

2 x lengths of Brass Tape to attach around the edge of slides

Little Paper bits and bobs to layer behind the slide, forming the image

Decide what you want to have behind the slide and cut out/glue etc until your desired image is achieved. You can get some really cool results with collage techniques, stamping, or illustrate something yourself. Use cut out letters from magazines/newspapers for block lettering.

Cut the image to the same size as the slide and place behind slide. Cut a backing piece of paper or use the other slide to pop at the back so the slide is double sided.

Carefully pull the backing off the tape, and gently run just less than half of it around the front edge of the front slide, mitreing the corners as you go. Wrap it completely around the slide, overlapping about 1.5cm at the end.

Place your image and backing layers behind the slide, and carefully wrap the tape over these to enclose all layers. Carefully run a small ruler along the front and back sides of the finished tape edge to flatten and smooth the tape to the layers.

Attach a ribbon to the back of the competed slide, or use a soldiering iron to attach a small ring to allow a fine strand of leather/cord to be inserted so you can use it as a necklace.

HAVE FUN!!!

To enter this weeks’ Freebie Draw, simply leave a message telling me which of the new ‘Sweetie Pie’ Collection colourways is your favourite. Let me know if you’ve blogged/linked to me for an additional entry.

Here’s the latest in our Bib and Tucker ‘Sweetie Pie’ Collection folks; a wee ocean ‘Cutie Pie’ pocket, just for the boys (although it would look pretty cute on a little girl too :-)). These are limited edition, so get in quick if you *need* one!

Now, for this weeks’ freebie. Looking at the replies, it seems most of you are in the mood for a nappy. So that’s what I’m giving away this week. Here’s the choices:

'Sweetie Pie' Collection - Celery

'Sweetie Pie' Collection - Ocean

A hand painted Bib and Tucker ‘Sweetie Pie’ Collection nappy in either the ‘celery’ or ‘ocean’ colourway. Pop you comment on here, and link to my blog for an additional entry. As usual, I’ll draw the name at 5pm next Monday. Good luck lovelies!!

I have been very bad, and bought a secondhand (but new condition as it wasn’t used) Ashford Joy spinning wheel. WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Here she is in all her glory :-). She is beautiful, and very well designed and spins sock/lace weight beautifully. But, we are having some teething issues when it comes to spinning anything heavier than about 8ply :-(. As it is a small wheel, one needs to treadle reasonably quickly (well compared to the traditional I’ve been using). Also, if you slow your treadling down, the weighted pedal turns counterclockwise, which is not a hot look! Even with the wheel on the slowest setting for bulky yarns, and the tension as loose as possible so as not to over twist, I’m ending up with little rats tails, blerk. I have played around with the tension, a. lot. Hmm, We might be taking a wee visit to one of the spinning ladies houses soon I think! How embarassing.

Freebie thoughts for next week…..

With us nearing the end of the week, I have been pondering what to create for next weeks ‘Freebie Monday’. I’ve gone back and forth between some handspun wool, and a ‘Bib and Tucker’ nappy. Soooooo, I’m going to ask my lovely readers to decide! What would you like to win this coming week? Let me know by Saturday and I’ll whip it up over the weekend.

I’ve used a range of blue/purple/pink/white merino blends, that have been core spun onto a magenta boucle yarn to create an energetic thick & thin yarn. This is super bulky, so would be suited to being used as an embelishment for a crafty project or knitted using a simple knit pattern.

How do I enter? Just leave a comment below, and if you mention my blog or link to me on your website, you receive an additional entry :-). I’ll leave each weeks freebie draw open until the following Monday, when I’ll announce the winner! I’m happy to post overseas, so pop in and say hi.